A friend is having a problem finding a vet to dock puppies, as his usual vet has now said he will no longer dock anything as a vet has recently been struck off for docking. My question is, has a vet been struck off simply for legal docking, does anyone know?

This was reported in the dog press a few weeks ago.
A vet has been taken to task for docking pups by the RC of Vet surgeons.
Can't remember all the ins & outs but I think he was struck off.

Your friend would be better asking the CDB's for other vets that will dock.
But they will have to be a member first.

Thanks for the reply. i thought the Rc were not bothered, judging by the amount of docked dogs around. Wonder why they chose to pick on him/her

A case was local to us, the vet docked a litter of 11 puppies without anaesthesia and then the owner made a complaint against him when 2 died and one got an infection- he was suspended for 28 days and found guilty of disgraceful conduct

Well it won't have been connected to the lack of anaethesia, I have never known anaethesia used. 

It is going to be very interesting seeing the undocked youngsters in the ring next to their docked elders.  Is it April of July when it is finally banned.  either way it will mean undocked pups in the ring by the end of the year.

for a while judges will still have docked dogs to consider for the top awards, but eventually they are re going to have to look at the young ones coming up through with their tails.

I wonder if there will be a period of Veterans winning all the top awards?

I wonder if there will be a period of Veterans winning all the top awards?

I think the answer to that is no, because you only have to look at Crufts to see tailed dogs from other countries getting tickets and going BOB above docked UK dogs.

But those were mostly the coated and less severely docked breeds.  Not as noticeable as on say a ring full of Boxers Dobes or Rotts.

I think an undocked Bouvier is VERY obvious. :)

pretty shaggy and low set tail, so I wouldn't notice it as much.  Was it a UK judge?

Not the way the handers hold the tail. Look at this page, if you scroll all the way down you'll see lots of photos including from UK shows:http://www.dogsfarm.nl/ Apart from their Crufts win I see they also took BIS at the UK breed club champ.show. But no, I don't know what nationality the judges were.

I'm sorry but they look horrid like that.  why don't they hold them down.  the docked ones look so much better and balanced.

Yes I have to agree Brainless!

Good grief, can't imagine why the tail hasn't been clipped! Seems very strange to leave the hair on the tail so long when the dog is trimmed back on its body. OK, it's there, you can't completely hide it but seems odd to actually draw attention to it.

M.

It was Zena Thorn Andrews that gave it BOB at crufts

Oh Hang on...I thought the BOB Bouvier was docked???

They got one CC and one RCC I think and one of them was docked, the other not. Hang on, I'll check. Ah yes. They had the BOB and the BB, both docked, but also the
RBB who was undocked.

Thta explains it, I was sure I'd have remembered that tail winning the group :D

I only remember because of some of their dogs dying later on the ferry from another UK show, and remember seeing pictures of them and being surprised an undocked dog had done so well at Crufts. :)

Fortunately I don't have a docked breed, but it will be interesting to see how long it takes to establish some sort of tail type. I expect that a fair amount of undocked dogs that I currently see aren't of particularly good quality to start with, but tails certainly seem all over the place and look very odd to me.

Some breeds also seem to carry it better than others - the line of the spine continues better in the dogs with a more level topline. Every undocked Boxer I've seen so far seems to have a tail that belongs to another dog entirely.

M.

It is April the law comes in......i have taken a forward step and have a litter of american cockers all with tails and quite lovely they look too....i shant miss the dock really, we are also leaving the tails on our weimaraner litter also due before April........i know it will look odd for a good few years until breeders can actually breed for the 'correct' tailset as they do other traits, goint to be a long transision though i think
Pauline

So first lot of pups with tails will be Driffield and Midland counties for the General champ shows

i know it will look odd for a good few years until breeders can actually breed for the 'correct' tailset as they do other traits

One would hope that breeders already DO breed for the correct tailset!  The tailset is there whether the breed is docked or not and goes along with the croup/pelvis/etc.  If a dog has the correct tailset for the breed then the tail carriage will also be good (apart from the odd few who get overexcited and fly their tails, but that happens in every breed ;) ).

Debs

The ban comes in force on April 6th.

The Animal Welfare Bill becomes law 6th April 2007, but it has not yet been finally announced that the docking of dogs' tails section of the Act will also apply. Further consultation documents have been taken into consideration up until 16th February, & as yet no announcement has been made as to what has been decided with regard to dogs' tails. It is expected that we will find out what is going to happen at the Westminster briefing on 14th February - so at the moment docking may or may not be banned on 6th April.

Anyone who believes that veterinary surgeons should still be allowed to dock the tails of 'traditionally docked breeds' of dog please take a few minutes to sign the online petition at

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TailDocking